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(No Model.)

"J. A. STEUART.

Life-Preserver.

No. 227,314. Patented May 4, 1880.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. STEUART, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HISRIGHT TO ASAHEL H. DILLON, JR, ()F SAME PLACE.

LIFE-PRESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,314, dated May 4,1880.

Application filed March 24, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. STEUART, of Baltimore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLife-Preservers; and I hereby declare the same to be fully, clearly, andexactly described as follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1. is a perspective view of the device.

IO Fig. 2 is a central sectional view of the same.

My invention has reference to that class of life-preservers consisting,essentially, of an inflatable casin g provided with suitable straps forsecuring it upon the person; and it cons-ists in a device of the classnamed constructed and operating as hereinafter set forth.

The objects of my invention are twofold: first, to so attach the deviceto the person as to obviate the possibility of its becoming acci 2odentally displaced while being worn; and, second, to so construct andlocate it as not to 'impede the motions of the wearer in swimming, andnot impede his motion through the water, while affording abundantbuoyant effort 2 to keep his head above the surface.

In the accompanying drawings, A is an id flatable casing, by preferenceof india-rubber cloth, and approximately hemi-cylindrical in shape, theface 6 being, however, slightly con- 0 cave.

To the corners are attached straps a a, as shown, which are providedwith buckles b b, to admit of their adjustment.

On one of the straps slides freely a ring, 0,

5 and on the other a catch or snap-hook, 0.

Should it be desired, a supplementary strap,

0, (shown in dotted lines,) may be attached to p a loop, a.

The device is designed to occupy a position 0 on the back of the wearerjust below the neck,

(No model.)

and to adjust -it the arms are passed under the straps a, and the catchand ring are secured together in front.

The strap 0 may be used to prevent the device from riding up; but if thestraps a are 4 5 properly adjusted it will scarcely be found necessary.

The peculiar mode of attaching the apparatus to the person is attendedwith advantages which may be briefly referred to. The dispo- 5o sitionof the straps to a is such as to in nowise interfere with the freemovement of the muscles used in swimming, or with the inflation of thechest in breathing, and the position of the device behind the shouldersis such as to offer no obstacle to the swimmers motion through thewater.

When not in use the air-valve (not shown) is opened and the device iscollapsed, when it may be packed in a small compass, or even carried inthe pocket. This is a great desideratum in devices of this class,enabling one to carry them conveniently while traveling.

The peculiar shape of the life-preserver illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings is such as to eminently adapt it for use as an aircushion, as ahead-rest for use in ordinary railway-cars, and as a pillow tosupplement the attenuated conventional pillow of the sleeping-car.

What I claim is- The collapsible helm-cylindrical casing A, havingadjustable straps a. a connecting its corners, and provided with thering 6 and catch 0, sliding freely upon the straps, as set forth.-

JAMES A. STEUART.

Witnesses:

R. D. VVILLIAMS, A. H. DILLON, Jr.

